


Short Stories; Long Destiny

by Zamia



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: (Kinda. Most of the chapters are in a linear order), Gen, Headcanons (kinda), Keyblade Training, Non linear chapter order, Not Beta Read, Other characters and tags will be added, Spoilers for KH 0.2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-08-22 09:24:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8280845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zamia/pseuds/Zamia
Summary: Every now and then, they all stop their personal training to go back to the Tower. Sometimes it's just to spend time together, while sometimes it's to train together and work on their teamwork.Kairi likes to mentally call those moments their family gathering. A collection of (sometimes very) short stories from different points in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, but most of them are set between DDD and III.





	1. [Untitled]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set post-DDD.
> 
> One of my friends told me it was kinda shippy?? Totally wasn't what I had in mind when writing this, buuuut if you wanna read it that way, that's fine with me o/

Lea doesn't remember when exactly Kairi stopped being "Sora's friend" or "a Princess of Heart" and just became "Kairi".

Maybe it was when he found out he was getting trained as a keybearer alongside her. Maybe it was when she threw her keyblade at Riku to ponctualise the fact he didn't need to go so easy on her, before summoning it back to her hand (and honestly, Lea was a little bit jealous of how easy it was for her to do so –like breathing.).  
Or maybe it was that one time he decided to teach her how to use fire magic, expecting her to only be able to create a few sparks and being legitimately surprised when she almost roasted him alive (thank Light he's so good at controlling the flames).

Nevertheless, he was quick to understand that this changement in the way he acknowledged her meant more than a change of name or nickname. It was more something akin to becoming more than mere acquaintance, closer to being friends (something that would have probably made him laugh, before.)

But nothing explained why looking in her eyes was so familiar that it hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time really writing for this fandom (not counting that small drabble I wrote like last year in the middle of the night) so I'm not sure if I stayed in character and all of that... Heeeh...


	2. There's Light in the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set.... Huuuuh... Post-BBS...???

Sometimes, Aqua forgets that she's alive. Lost as she is in the Darkness... It feels more like she's stuck in a dream, no, a nightmare.

It gets worse when she gets lost in her memories. Memories of green grass, blue eyes, silver stars and warm hands. Memories of trainings, old wooden swords and new armors. Of visiting new worlds and meeting new people; of smiles and kids with the brightest eyes; of gifted flowers and powerful lights.

She wonders how long she's been lost here. She wonders how the people she met are doing now, how old the kids are. How many worlds got lost to darkness. Of who's protecting the light now that most people who used to do so lost a part of themselves in the war.

* * *

One day, she finds out that she's really not alone, in a way less abstract than her heart being connected to her friends'. She finds an old man sitting on the beach, who tells her stories of how the worlds are doing, of a boy protecting them all, and she cries understanding that one day, soon, she'll get out of here. She cries understanding how long she's been lost, and she cries because there's something scary in knowing that a boy so young got a burden so heavy on his shoulders.

One day, she feels light in the darkness and smiles. Because the day she'll leave is getting closer. The day she'll be able to take her friends in her arms again is almost there.

She will see the light again.  
And she will fight to protect it.


	3. Sometimes, Somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is really short but, like, HEADCANONS.

Sometimes, he dreams. He dreams of a war he shouldn't have known so well, so personally. He dreams of worlds he never set foot on, of people he never met, of things he shouldn't know. He sees a sky he doesn't remember, stars he doesn't know, and feels waves on his toes, when he's pretty sure he has never seen the sea. 

He knows secrets that aren't his, friendships with people he doesn't know, feels hearts connected in a way he doesn't understand.  
He doesn't know which part of those memories are his, and he doesn't really wanna know if those are from his past or not. 

When he's not dreaming, he... Doesn't know what he's doing... What he is. He feels like he's fading, like he doesn't really exist. He doesn't even know how long he's been sleeping, where he is.

Ventus doesn't remember who he really is.


	4. A Moment for Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy this one is longer!!! \o\

All of the young new keybearers like to spend time together, even after training the whole day with each other, and this is how they all end up regularly sprawled in front of the Tower, looking at the sky.

Kairi can feel Sora's warmth next to her, at her left, and Riku's elbow knocked on her right shoulder when he put his arms behind his head, and she knows Lea isn't far away but still decided to put a bit of space between all of them. She's pretty sure it's because he still doesn't feel like he is a part of their group, which is stupid, since she legitimately would have beaten the shit out of him if she didn't forgive him for what he once did and accepted him as a part of her new little family.

Anyway, here they are, all together looking at the stars in a comfortable silence that Kairi had to, of course, break.

" Say, do you think there are really weird worlds? Like, with stuffs like giant speaking turtles or things like that? "

(Kairi can hear Lea's snort of laughter somewhere near her, and she's not sure if it's because he knows it exist or because he finds her ridiculous)

" Kairi... ... Wait. I wanted to say ‘don't be stupid’ but... " Riku starts while Sora laughs next to her. "We don't know everything that's out there. "

" Thank Light we don't. That'd be too much knowledge. " Lea murmurs, which Kairi ignores because she'd love to know that many worlds.

So she asks the next best question:

" So... What's the weirdest world you've seen? "

" Atlantica. "

" WHAT. RIKUUUU don't say thaaat! "

" Sora, the last time you went there you ended up in a musical with a mermaid and a bunch of sea creatures. "

Wait. What?

" Wait, Sora, is that why you sometimes sing out of the blue?? " Kairi asks, turning her head to look at her spiky haired friend.

" ... I do...? "

" Yes! " they all say at the same time, because it can get annoying in the middle of training.

" Woops, sorry. ... Still think you'd love this world, Kairi. "

" What does it look like? " She starts cutting all the little flowers around her in the grass.

" It's really colorful! And you turn into a mer...person...! "

"... Wait. I'd be a mermaid? "

" Yep! Maybe you'd be a jellyfish... Or something really cute! All purple and pink!"

So they all spend time talking about which kind of fish they'd be and arguing that no, Lea wouldn't be a clown fish, Sora. Yes it'd be hilarious. But no, it definitely would not happen.

Kairi sits up before asking the next question, because she knows it will awaken some memories and she doesn't want to see it in their eyes, so she starts making small flower crowns with her little flowers.

" What's the most beautiful world you've seen out there?"

Sora starts humming, a thing they know means he's thinking, while Riku turns to look at her, and she can hear Lea doing the same.

" 100 Acre Woods, maybe? " Sora says, and explains where it is when he feels everyone looking at him curiously. " it's a world in a book, in Merlin's house. It's pretty in a different way... ... Hm, or maybe Pride Lands. "

Kairi hums and starts to grab some other flowers and Sora helps her, grabbing the ones around him.

" I kinda like Radiant Garden..." Riku says, and they can all hear that he's frowning. " Which is weird. I don't really have the best memories there... But it changed since then. And it became weirdly... Beautiful."

Radiant Garden? Kairi likes this name. She should go there one day...

She can hear Lea's intake of breath, and turns a bit to look at him from the corner of her eyes.

" ... Twilight Town."

And no one says anything, because they know what this world means to Lea. So Kairi finishes her flower crown and gets up, walks to him and places it on his head and gently smiles at him, because he looks so sad he might as well be crying. And Kairi doesn't like seeing her friends looking so sad.


	5. Whack-a-teen with a keyblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This title is the reason why I shouldn't have to give titles to my stories.

When you spend almost all your free time training, you don't really have time for normal, teenagers stuff. Which sucks, as you literally don't have many other things to do that reduces stress.  
Lea decides, after the fourth time one of them went berserk in the middle of training, that they REALLY need to have a few days off every months. Riku and Sora both look at him like he's crazy when he says so, angrily telling him that they don't have time for that, that they have to train, that they need to be the strongest possible for the moment the biggest, deadliest part of the war will start.

Lea almost wants to summon his keyblade to bash them in the head with.

So instead he turns to Kairi, because she's the only one of them who somehow manages to do things that calm her, even if it's just studying old magic books or things like that. She looks at him, take a deep breath and then does an incredible fake glare at the two idiots that have the most experience with keyblades.

She spends ten minutes trying to explain to them how stress reduces their efficiency, how it could stop them from sleeping enough, slow them down in fight, not let them think normally, how they could loose themselves to the fights. But they stay stubborn, saying that they wouldn't be strong enough anyway if they don't train when they have the time to do so.

Lea laughs when he sees Kairi actually summoning her keyblade to her hand to hit them with it.

Never underestimate a girl with a weapon.  
Wait  
No.  
Never underestimate Kairi. Hah, better.

So they all decide to start with one or two game nights each months. And no one talks about the very big probability that they'll end up throwing their cards at each other. And no one says anything when the monopoly board dissapears one night.


	6. Traditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for 0.2 ! Kinda. A few things said ARE canon now, but I may or may not have played with the timeline to not make this whole mini-serie ..... Not-canon. And I only picked a few spoilers online, so I may still have done something that definitely doesn't fit anymore. Oh, well.
> 
> And Jesus this one is long. Hard to write just on my phone.

One evening, Kairi realizes half of them keep blowing their bangs away or tying them up and decides that it's a good time for them to take care of their hair and stuffs like that. 

" So, any of you knows a world where there's a good hairdresser? "

The guys look at her like she's crazy for a few seconds, before Lea laughs and just smiles at her, that big brother smile of his.

" So you also realized the problem, huh? "

" Yep. We all look like idiots who haven't seen a pair of scissors in months."

Riku and Sora, always oblivious, look between her and him like they were watching a tennis match, completely lost.

" So, do you? Know a world with a good hairdresser? " Kairi asks once again, looking directly at Riku's bangs, curentely hiding more than half of his face.

" Nah, not really. Isn't there one on Destiny Island? "

" Most people get their hair cut by someone of their family, on the Island. It's almost a tradition at this point." Sora says by the sideline, probably remembering the time his grandfather almost was in charge of cutting his hair instead of his uncle.

Lea hums, thinking. Riku apparently finally understood what was going on, and started grabbing at his own hair, realizing just how long it has gotten in the previous months.

" How about we keep that tradition going? " Lea asks.

" ... Any of us ever cut hair? Like, really did a good haircut? " 

" ... I'm not that bad with scissors. "

".... Lea, excuse me but I'm not sure I'd be fine with you putting scissors near my face. "

" Ow. That hurts, Riku. "

Sora and Kairi laugh, definitely loving Lea's drama queen antics. Getting a heart and leaving the organization really did him wonders. Thought none of them really know how he'd react in a real fight, if he'd go back to how he acted before joining their side.

" Yup, let's do this! Lea will now be the official hairdresser of our team! "

" Sora, shouldn't you wait until you see the results to say that? "

" Riku, believe in the both of them a little, would you? And it's not like we have much choice. "

" I'm not sure how I should feel about that, Kairi. Sounds like you also don't believe in my skills, princess. "

Kairi grabs the closest thing to her to throw it at him, laughing; before they all go get things to start their little haircutting evening. 

Lea and Kairi both go grab haircare products and whatever they could fill with water and return in the room they were all before, where Riku is putting an old bedsheet on the floor before moving a small table and a chair on top of it. Lea puts the small water bucket on the table, along with the spray bottle he found somewhere, and grabs whatever he put in his pockets, while Kairi drops on the table the hair and face masks she took from the bathroom.   
Sora arrives then, arms so full of towels he probably couldn't see where he was going, and walked into a couple of stuffs before somehow falling and grabbing riku at the same time. Kairi laughs and throws herself on top of the pile, crushing her boys under her while Lea snorts and take a picture of them to put in their little album.

 

A few minutes later, Sora is sitting down against a wall while Kairi wrestle with him to make him use a facemask.

" I swear your skin is drier than the sand on Destiny Island! "

" Kaiiii, whyyyy? It's not like I'll have time to do it when we'll go back to save the worlds and all of thaaaat... "

" I'll throw moisturizing stuffs at your face while you sleep. "

Riku and Lea laugh, while the redhead tries to see how to cut all of that hair while not messing it up. He probably should have said he only ever worked on his own hair... Oh, well.

" Sooo, what will it be, mister? " Lea asks, apparently imitating hairdressers. 

" Just.... Cut my bangs...? "

" Can't do worse than all the haircuts I remember you having. "

" Excuse you, like you're any better ! "

" I totally rock the fiery spikes, buddy. "

This time Sora and Kairi are the one laughing, taking pics of everyone, probably ending up with pictures too blurry to really use, but none of them really mind it, to be honest.  
Riku ends up with bangs probably one or two centimeters too short, but he doesn't seem to mind too much, saying something along the line of "it won't be back in my eyes by next week", and both Sora and Kairi end up with their normal length (Lea says something about it being a miracle and they should all be proud of him. Riku answers by emptying the water bucket on his head, ruining all the spikes.)

" We'll have to leave tomorrow again.... " Kairi says softly, playing with a bottle of some hair thing to not look at the boys in the eyes.

" Yeah.... Riku is leaving with the king tomorrow, and you and Lea both go back to train with Merlin..." Sora hums, putting his arm around Riku's shoulder and placing his head on Kairi's.

" How about you? " Lea asks, " What will you be doing now ? "

" I'll start by going back to some worlds with Donald and Goofy. We want to explain what is going on to some of our trustworthy allies. " 

Lea plays with some loose threads on Kairi's socks, litteraly staying at one arm's length from the others, still having a bit of trouble with standing physically close to any of them.

" Sooo... Like who? You're friend with everyone, kid. "

" Being friend doesn't always mean trusting... "

" Riku, I will fight you if you start saying dumb stuffs about trust and yourself again. " Kairi says, looking at him from between Sora's way too spiky hair.

" Princess, he's kinda right you know? "

" You don't exactly have the best friendship track record. "

" .... Roxas was a good friend. Probably the best I've ever had. ... I'm the one who fucked everything up. "

Silence falls on the small group, and no one really knows what to say to that. ... That is, until Sora decides to speak.

" He forgave you, you know ? "

" How can you be so sure ? "

" Simple. He told me. "

Everyone turns to look at him, face full of shock, Riku even blurts a "what" that sounded so surprised you could have sworned someone just told him Moogles were in fact the tooth fairy.

" Since... The exam. It's been easier for him to speak to me. It's not always full sentences, or even words.... But we somehow talk. "

Lea looks at Sora in the eyes, with so many emotions on his face no one could really tell you what he was feeling; not even himself, and then smiles at him a little.

" Thanks. "

Nothing is said for a while, before Kairi turns her head do look at her brown haired friend again.

" Is it... Okay? This whole thing. I mean... " 

She stops, searching for words, because sometimes something being fine doesn't mean it's good.

" Will you be alright? " 

Sora hums, looking at the stars visible from the window that's kinda in front of them.

" Yeah. I'll be. "


End file.
